Cervical Screening, HPV and Self-Collection

About this Program

Develop the knowledge and skills to offer HPV self-collection to eligible patients and increase cancer screening participation rates.

The National Cervical Screening Program (NCSP) is a highly successful public health initiative in Australia, halving cervical cancer incidence and mortality since it was introduced in 1991. The renewed NCSP introduced on 1 December 2017 changed the 2-yearly Pap Test to a 5-yearly Cervical Screening Test and changed the target age group to 25–74.

On 1 July 2022, the NCSP expanded screening test options, offering self-collection as a choice to all people participating in cervical screening. All women and people with a cervix aged 25–74 now have the choice to screen either through self-collection of a vaginal sample using a simple swab, or clinician-collection of a sample from the cervix using a speculum.

HPV self-collection is equally as sensitive as a clinician-collected test and highly acceptable amongst women and people with a cervix. It is the key to eliminating cervical cancer in Australia by 2030.

With primary care playing a critical role in increasing screening participation rates, this course will provide General Practitioners, Nurse Cervical Screening Providers and Practice Nurses across Australia with information about the natural progression of cervical disease, the rationale for using the HPV test as the primary screening test, and recent changes to the NCSP clinical guidelines.

This course has a strong focus on HPV self-collection, presenting the latest evidence and the current self-collection policy, outlining when self-collection is not appropriate, plus an in-depth look at the screening pathway.

Upon completion of this course, participants will have the knowledge and skills to offer HPV self-collection to patients, as well as understanding the accuracy and reliability of HPV self-collection as a primary cervical screening test and appropriate follow-up and management practices.

Enrolment term: 12 months. If you re-enrol after 12 months, your previous progress will be retained.

GPEx and VCS Pathology, a division of the Australian Centre for the Prevention of Cervical Cancer (ACPCC) would like to acknowledge the contribution of:

• Dr Ruth McNair AM, general practitioner at Northside Clinic and Associate Professor at the University of Melbourne for her input in the LGBTIQ+ section of Module 5
• Ms Sandy Anderson, Registered Nurse at the Ballarat and District Aboriginal Co-operative for her input in the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander section of Module 5.

CPD Accreditation

This course is six hours in duration and is CPD accredited for the 2023-2025 triennium with the following organisations:

Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (RACGP):

• Educational Activities: 4 hours
• Measuring Outcomes: 5 hours
• Reviewing Performance: 3 hours

Australian College of Rural and Remote Medicine (ACRRM):

• Educational Activities: 4 hours
• Measuring Outcomes: 5 hours
• Reviewing Performance: 3 hours

National Association of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Workers and Practitioners (NAATSIHWP)

• 6 CPD hours

Australian Primary Health Care Nurses Association (APNA):

• 6 CPD hours (until May 2026)

Australian College of Nursing (ACN):

• 5 CPD hours (until September 2025)

Program Content

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